The Nightmare from LA
by CJ7
Summary: He was never supposed to come back. Darry never thought life could get any harder. What if Darry knew something about their father's past that Pony and Soda didn't?
1. Chapter 1

I slowly flipped through the magazine. Theses hours were always really boring because either everyone was at school or at work. I wondered if Darry was going to stop buy. There was an accident at his work about three days ago. Darry and his supervisor were both cutting wood when the fore man pulled on the wood a good chunk of Darry's hand went straight threw the saw. It was pretty gross and Darry was light headed he lost so much blood. The good thing was the supervisor was giving Darry paid recovery time.

"Sodapop." A deep voice pulled me away from my wondering but at the same time scared me.

I jumped out of my chair and looked at the guy in front of me, he looked like a soc except he was wearing a black and white baseball hat that covered the most of his face. He was big, bigger than Darry even. His words came off sounding different then the Oklahoma drawl.

"How did you know my name?" I stammered; socs never came around here unless they were looking for trouble.

He tapped his finger over his heart indicating that he had read my nametag. "Sorry, did I scare you?" He gave me a slight smile.

I shook my head. "No, I just wasn't expecting anyone. I haven't seen you in these parts."

"No, I'm new around here. I'm from L.A." He was looking at me funny like I had returned from the dead.

"What brings you to Tulsa?" I asked glad that I finally had someone to talk too.

He grinned even wider. "I got a couple of people I need to see."

"Really who?" I new most people around here no one had a brother from L.A."

"You probably don't know them kid."

I grinned and rang up his stuff.

"You wouldn't happen to know of any cheap but nice hotels, would you?" He asked.

"There is a lot of hotels in the city area right off of Race Road just take a left when you leave here and continue straight for about ten miles you'll take a left at the stop light and then a right onto Race"

He stuck his hand out. "Thanks nice meeting Sodapop, I'm Shay."

"You're welcome." I said.

Shay turned around at the door. "Is Sodapop your real name?" He asked.

I laughed I can't even begin to count how many times a day people ask me this. "Yeah, my Dad was really interesting guy. My little brother's name is Ponyboy."

Shay smiled. "I'll see you around kid."

Darry's (POV)

"Hey Ponyboy." I walked out to the living room finding him sound asleep on the couch. I shook my head and pressed my hand against his cheek; it had gotten colder out and cold weather brings about colds, sore throats and any other illness. Pony responded quickly to my touch, he groaned and attempted to roll over.

"Shh, go back to sleep." I rubbed the back of his hair. It wasn't long after Johnny and Dally died that Pony's nightmares made a return so sleep was much needed. He wasn't warm but cold. I went into his and grabbed the blanket and a couple pillows from the couch. I placed a pillow behind his head. I was in the process tucking the blanket around him when someone banged on the door.

"One second!" I glanced down at Pony he was still asleep. As I straightened up, I saw something from the corner of my eye. "Shit." I said out loud, there was only one reason a cherry red mustang would be in my neighborhood. I raked my fingers through my hair and went to answer the door.

"What-?" I stopped in mid sentence. The dark haired man, with Dad's facial features stared back at me. My throat ran dry; I felt the blood rush from my head and my adrenaline began to take on speed suddenly.

"Oh, my god, I feel like I'm looking at a ghost." He took his hat off so I could see him better. "You might not remember me Darry."

I glanced back at Pony and shut the door. "What the hell are you doing here you didn't even bother making the funeral!" I shoved him back.

"I don't want this." Sunny stuck his hand putting space between us. "Darry, it's been a long time, twelve years."

"What do you want? We don't have anything. They don't know about you!" I shouted I let my anger boil.

Sunny pushed his hair back. "I know I made a big mistake not coming to my father's funeral." He stopped for a second and just starred at me. "You look exactly like him. My Mom always said I looked-"

"You look nothing like him." I snapped.

"I just want to talk, Darry, that's it." Sunny was calm. He slowly dropped his hand to show that he wasn't ready to fight. "You're my little brother."

"Half brother, but I don't consider you my brother, Sunshine."

Sunny winced. "I saw an article in the new papers. Darry since Dad died, I didn't stop thinking about you guys. I want to meet Sodapop and Ponyboy." He handed me the newspaper. It was the article they had posted about my brothers and I, after Johnny and Pony saved those kids. I like to refer to that week as hell week.

"I want to meet them, Darry. I missed out on something big."

I shook my head. "No."

"Darry, please they are my brothers."

I turned around. "What makes them your brothers Sunny or wait I forgot its Shay isn't it? Dad and I drove all the way to L.A to find out that you disowned your name, and him. He wrote to you and never got a letter back and sent you things on Christmas and your birthday. You didn't even pay your respects at his funeral. Now you want to meet my kid brothers. You have to be out of your damn mind. Go back to your mom and her rich husband." I turned around to go back inside.

"I talked to Sodapop." He called after me.

I turned around. "When? They don't know, if you even told him anything I swear I'll kill you!"

"I didn't, I stopped in the gas station and saw him. He's a nice kid."

"You don't know shit." I spat and went back in to the house. I slammed the door waking Pony up. He began rubbing his eyes.

"You okay?"

"Just fine"

Pony looked from the door to my hand. "You weren't working on something were you?"

It was hard not to laugh. He was overly worried that I was going to do more damage to my hand living with this kid was like living with a Doctor it was always "Darry you'll get that infected, or I'll get it for you, I don't want you to hurt your hand."

"I just went out to check the mail." I ruffled his hair and as I did I looked out the window the mustang was gone.

I couldn't help but think about it as I peeled the bandages off my hand that night. Sunshine Shay Curtis, the long lost Curtis brother; my Dad had done the forbidden and had a kid at eighteen. Of course, he and the woman never worked out. She ran off across town and married some high and mighty soc. My Dad found my Mom and Shay stayed part of his life until one day they picked up and left. They moved to L.A at age ten Sunshine began going by Shay and decided to hate my Dad. I remember seeing my Dad cry into my Mom's arms repeating over and over again that his child hated him and he was a horrible father. Shay is two years older than I am. He never wrote back to my Dad and one time we drove up to L.A for the holiday season. His new father mocked my Dad; Sunny took his middle name as his first. I guess he never realized that Dad named him Sunny because to my father. The sun rose and set in Shay's eyes. Pony and Soda were just babies, they knew nothing of Shay or my dad's past. The whole thing sounds like a soap opera.

I pulled out a new bandage for my hand. I figured that would be the last I saw of Shay, I was never more wrong in my entire life.


	2. Chapter 2

I jammed my foot in my boot. It was impossible to tie my shoes with one hand and slipping work boots on wasn't exactly easy. "Good god, why am I doing this?" I asked myself. I was supposed to meet Sunny at a bar at eight, it was a Friday night and I could still hear everyone in the living room.

"Don't you guys have some place to be?" I asked grabbing my jacket off the couch.

Soda looked up at me quizzically from behind his cards. "Where are you going?"

"You're not supposed to be doing ruff with your hand." Pony added.

"I'm going out to meet someone that's all."

"You can't even drive."

"I'm walking, I'll be fine."

"I think he has a date. He wants us out because he needs the house for afterwards!" Two-Bit grinned wildly. "She blonde?"

I smacked him in the back of the head and left with out any others words. Joes Bar wasn't exactly an easy walk. I ended up taking a bus. It was the place where Mrs. Matthews worked. I prayed she wouldn't be there. I found Shay in the back of the bar. It was one of those dark bars that mostly older, businessmen went to unwind at the end of the day. I sat down across from him.

He really did have Dad's features. He had dark eyes, dark skin and dark hair.

"Thanks." He said. I think he was trying to avoid any awkward silence.

"Yeah" It was the only thing I could think of to say.

"How are you? Go college?"

"No, I don't exactly have time I work two jobs and then take care of my kid brothers full time. What about you?"

He nodded. "I went yeah, majored in journalism, liner backer."

My head shot up. I was starting down at my drink until now. "You played football? First string?"

"Yeah, play any sports?" He pushed some of his hair out of his face.

"Yeah, I got a scholarship to Notre Dame because of it but, I needed to dorm and couldn't afford it so I saved up and then my parents died."

He looked down at his hands. "I'm sorry, I wasn't there I should have been."

"Sunny what are you doing here?" I asked. "Really what do you want?"

Sunny smiled. "I haven't been called Sunshine in years; Dad was the last person to call me that."

"Why'd you start to go by your middle name?"

"I don't know I guess it was a way to separate myself, my other Dad thought it was stupid."

"You're step Dad?" I waited for him to his nod to and then continued. "Dad's middle name was Shayne." You realize you middle name was pretty much his name?"

Sunny shook his head. "No one ever told me."

"That's why he branded me with his name, because you left, I mean before L.A you left him."

"Hey ya'll can I get you something to drink?" Mrs. Mathews appeared at our tableside. "Darry!" She leaned down and hugged me. "How are you?"

"I've been better." I eyed Sunny.

"Two-Bit told me about your hand."

Sunny glanced at my right hand; I saw a horrified look spread across face.

"How's are the babies?" She asked

I nearly burst out laughing. Mrs. Mathews was the only one who ever regarded Pony and Soda as babies but then again she still thought Two-Bit was a baby. "Hardly babies at all. They're all fine, trying to put me in my grave early." I answered

She swatted me with a menu and her attention was now directed to my half relative. "This a friend? You two look like you could be brothers!"

"Yeah, he's an old guy I used to know." I answered.

Sunny shook his head once she left. "She's seems nice. What happened to your hand?"

"Work it got caught in a saw."

He looked up at me. "You sewed their asses' right?"

I shook my head. "I'd rather not lose my job. I have two kids depending on me having two jobs."

"Darry, I'm sorry for not being there, I 'm sorry for not making the funeral, but I need to see them. I want to reconcile with you."

I glared at Sunny. "You really think it's that simple, I'm sorry is going to change anything? I have no need to reconcile with you. I don't understand why you are here in the first place!"

"You can't be angry at a choice I made when I was a kid, I didn't know better, My Mom and her family and his family influenced it. I'm not a kid now Darry, I want to step up for my family. I want to know my father; I want to know my little brothers."

"Half brothers, you're not going to be some hero. You can't just waltz here! You come from a whole different world." I held my hand up. "This, this is caused from work, Do you know what work is? Have you ever had to work for anything in your life? I work for two kids, I pay bills; do you know what a bill looks like? I don't have my mom's sugar daddy to pay off. Our server has two kids; she works day in and day out just to support them. Ask her she hasn't had a day to herself in years. What kind of neighbor hood did you grow up? Ever have your kids brothers get jumped outside your home. Or better yet ever have two of your friends die and their parents couldn't care less?"

Sunny shook his head. "I grew in a big house, went to catholic school, I never had to get a job. My hands aren't calloused or damaged, I don't support my kid brothers because I don't know them but I'm trying to get to know all three of them. You want the reason why I'm back, it's because I read that article and I read the follow up, I'm back for all three of my kid brothers half or full makes no difference. All three of you are my kid brothers."

I shook my head. "You're wrong, we're not. I want to see you hold Pony when he wakes up screaming for Dad, or try to talk sense into Soda when a girl dumps. Bandage knees; sit with them when they are sick or when they are so frustrated because they don't have parents on father's day or mothers day. " I slammed my hand against the table with frustration. I immediately regretted it. The whole thing began to throb and I wanted to scream in pain but I just played it calm.

"What about you? Who takes care of you? Who helps you when you want to grieve?"

I didn't know what to say I didn't matter in that sense it wasn't about me. I shook my head. "I'm not doing it, you aren't meeting them. They lost four people in less than a year. They can't take on any more changes. If they find out about you, it's because they traced out family. I'm not traumatizing them. Bye Sunny."

"Wait!" He cried as I got up and reached for my bill. He scribbled something down on a piece of paper. "I don't want to hurt them or you. I hope you change your mind. This is where I'm staying; I'll be here for two more weeks. If you change your mind, I'll stay as long as welcomed. It's my hotel address and number." Sunny looked like I had stabbed him. The color from his tanned face was gone. He looked how my hand felt.

I left him at the table; I got out side and sat on a bench just outside the restaurant. I threw the wadded up address Sunny gave me. He didn't even say anything as he passed me and stepped into his mustang.

"DARREL CURTIS!" Mrs. Mathews came out with her hands on her hips. "I don't know where you came up with this money but honey you need it more than I will ever." She pressed a hundred dollar bill into my hand.

I gawked down at the money in my hand. "I didn't leave you this."

"Then give it back to your friend. Darry your bill was a couple of bucks."

I shook my head. "I think he wanted you to have it. I have to go."

I didn't hear what she said as I grabbed that paper off the ground. I walked into his hotel after about a half hour of walking. I found the correct room number and banged on the door with my good hand.

A gasp escaped from his mouth along with a huge grin. He opened the door wider to let me in.

"You left a hundred dollars." I blurted. "Why?"

"I'm not as spoiled as you think I am." He took the cigarette out of his mouth.

"We have a spare room, it isn't much, but you can stay there on a couple conditions. You hurt those boys and I'll break every bone in your body, you pay your respects to Dad; and we tell them when I say it's time, if I think, it's fine. You'll die slowly if they find out before I saw it's time. Hurry up and pack Oh yeah, you name stays Shay Sunshine is too much of a Curtis name."

"Thank you! Thank you so much. I'll buy groceries and pay you the hotel fee that I'm paying here."

* * *

(Shay's Point of View)

I never pictured anyone in my family living in this kind of neighbor hood. I guess I forgot about the type of neighborhood it was. I was thankful when Darry told me to pull my car in the garage. I didn't want to leave the mustang on the street. The car ride had been silent. There is nothing I hated more than a silent car ride; I could feel how hostile Darry was. I was nervous, what if they hated me? What if I hated them? I was almost sure Darry could hear my heart pounding. I ended up lighting up a cigarette until Darry grimaced so I put it out figuring he hated smoke.

"What the hell happened here?" Darry roared. It looked like the house had been turned into a circus cushions were sprawled out and cards were every where. On top of everything, there was a pyrmid of Pepsi bottles against the wall.

Soda came running up to him. "YOU'RE BACK! Darry drinking ten cans of soda is just like getting drunk." He shook his hips to the music. We built a fort!"

"HE built a fort." Some kid said there was another next to him with rust colored hair.

"How would you know what getting drunk is like? Don't you dare drink anymore you kidney's will explode." Darry thundered.

"HI SHAY! You came in the gas station remember me?" Soda grinned. "How do you know my brother, this was your date Darry?"

I smiled. "I couldn't forget you kid."

Darry whacked Soda over the head. Soda returned the favor to the ribs. Darry put him in a headlock. "This is a guy from way back when, he's going to stay with us a while. His name is Shay. And you little buddy, are going put this house back in order by the time I come back out here and if it's not, I'm going to whoop you a good one. Got it?"

Soda saluted Darry and he let the kid go, stepped over him, and walked down the hall. I wasn't sure if I should follow him. Until Pony ran after him. I recognized him from the newspaper. I followed Pony until just outside Darry's room. I could see inside Darry on his bed with Pony standing at his side. He gingerly touched Darry's hand.

"Why does it look swollen?" He asked worriedly. "And infected?"

"It just does, Pony. Don't touch it."

"Maybe you're not putting enough stuff on it." Pony suggested. He was looking at Darry as if he would disappear any second.

"Come on, you don't need tuff around Shay." He picked Pony up off the ground and headed out the door. I first I thought the kid was too old for that kind of stuff but when Darry approached me Pony just looked sick. He was a ghost shade of white, with black rings under his eyes.

"This one has been nocturnal. Trying to avoid nightmares." Darry explained this voice deepened when he said "nightmares."

I just nodded. I wasn't sure what to do. Darry pointed to another room. "I'll get you some sheets in a minute. You can stay there and put the stuff in the drawers if you like."

It was a small room memories I forgot existed came back to me. I could hear the conversation in the room next to min

"No!" Pony whimpered.

"Yes." Darry shot back almost instantly. Something told me he didn't take much crap from anyone. "Its sleep time for you, scoot over I'll sit with you until you fall asleep."

"That's going to scar."

"I know." Darry replied.

"You're supposed to keep it covered."

"Ponyboy I can take care of it. You're the kid I'm the adult. Got it?" Darry said firmly

"Does it still hurt?" Pony asked ignoring his older brother's last comment.

"It doesn't hurt right now. Close your eyes. You're going to sleep tonight."

I didn't hear the rest. Soda came bouncing in literally. He jumped on the bed still bouncing.

"Come on!" He grabbed me by the sleeve of my jacket. "We built a fort and I made lemon-pepsi!" He started to pull on my jacket so I would follow him.

"What the hell is lemon- pepsi?"


	3. Chapter 3

Lemon-Pepsi wasn't anything that was normal it was Soda's way of taking lemonade that he put way to much sugar into and then combining it with Pepsi to give himself a sugar high. The term bouncing off walls, Soda brought meaning to that.

"You two look a like." Steve had been looking from me to Darry for the past ten minutes.

"Darry, has blue eyes, Shay has brown." Soda sang he was attempting to stand on his head.

"Darry's tanner." Two-Bit joined in. "Maybe this is the long lost Curtis brother. Hotdog Curtis! Let's see the birth certificate."

Darry blanched and I glared at Two-Bit. "I think you have hotdogs for brain, idiot. I'm going to bed now.

It was weird; I had been in this room as a little kid. I remember people always thought Darry and I were twins except for our eyes. I couldn't remember if we got along or not. I laid there thinking until the late hours of the night. I was pulled away from my thinking by Ponyboy's screaming. I sat up in bed; I suffered from nightmares as a kid. I saw a quick blur of Darry running into his room. The kid was screaming for him. I could hear Soda and Darry shake him awake.

Soda walked into my room absent-mindedly. You could tell he was shaken.

"It's because our parents died and friends. He hasn't has much action to wear him out either." Soda spoke unevenly. "He's not abnormal or anything." He just wasn't Soda with out that smile.

I smiled just to see if I could make him grin again. "I had these things as a teenager too; it really sucks."

"Did anyone you know die?" Soda asked. "We took him to a doctor they stopped for a long while."

I shook my head. "I had a fear of bridges, heights that kind of stuff, so I dreamed about that. You know the falling off the cliff type of thing."

Soda nodded. "Pony doesn't remember, he just screams out for Dad."

So, Pony was screaming Daddy for I thought it was Darry. I didn't remember my dreams until I got help but I didn't tell Soda that.

"I'll see you in the morning." Soda said.

I watched him disappear into the dark hallway.

I woke up early. I don't know why but I never really got the much slept in too late.

I found Darry picking shells out of a container and cursing. His hand was swollen I could tell even with the bandages on.

"Want help?" I offered.

"I don't need help." He snapped.

"I didn't ask if you needed it. I asked if you wanted it." It was clear that he did need it.

He turned around and looked at. "Why are you up this early?"

"I always am. Why are you? I thought you had to get off work because of your hand?"

"Soda does enough with working more than he should lately. The least I could do is make him breakfast." Darry mumbled.

"Then the least I can do is let you sleep. After last night you probably need it."

"Do you think your going to come in here are start playing big brother to me you're wrong." He snapped.

"I'm not playing anything. I'm just offering to be nice, which isn't exactly a normal thing. You can take my offer or leave. I personally don't give a shit."

Darry just starred blankly at me. "You cuss like a sailor." He forked over his pan of crushed eggshells. "You can probably pick them out better than me."

I looked down, this wasn't even worth saving, and it looked like he just crushed the entire egg inside the pan. I pitched the eggs and rummaged around until I found some pancake mix. It wasn't long before Soda came in. He looked a little shocked to find me in there instead of Darry.

"I got pancakes for you; they'll be ready in a minute." I looked over at him. "Hey, cake isn't breakfast food."

Soda looked at me like I had three heads. "It is here. Darry lets us have it all the time." He grinned. "We're chocolate fanatics here. Pony especially."

"Darry allows this?" I handed him a stack of pancakes.

"Yup." Soda answered.

I poured myself some coffee and sat down.

"Darry drinks his black too. I think it tastes better with crème and sugar."

"Never put that stuff in it. My Dad drank it this way so I did too."

"Yeah, so did my Dad."

My stomach turned into a summersault. I guess the idea of having breakfast was a no.

The screen door slammed followed by the door. "Soda let's go!"

Soda jumped up from his chair. "I need to find my shoes! That's Steve, thanks for breakfast." He darted out of the room like he had fire under him.

I was about to put away the dishes when Pony came in rubbing his eyes. He must have been woken up by the commotion of Soda and Steve. I figured I shouldn't say anything to him about last night. It was probably awkward enough having me there. I didn't really want to salt the wound.

"Where's Darry?" He asked panicky.

"He's sleeping still. Here eat something." I handed over a couple of pancakes."

He sat down and starred off into space. He was a lot more quite than Darry and Soda.

"Is L.A really like they say it is?" He asked.

"Oh so you do talk?" I joked. "Yeah, it really is."

"Isn't Tulsa boring for you?"

I laughed. "So far it's been a pretty interesting place."

"How come you're in Tulsa?"

"I'm looking for a job." I answered. I was brutally honest but when needed I could be a damn good liar. This wasn't a lie this was a half-truth.

"Morning." I guess Darry didn't believe in sleep either. He looked from me to Pony. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Nothing really, L.A." Pony answered.

Darry just shook his head. "Pony go get dressed. We'll show Shay around town, so he won't get lost."

Pony's (P.O.V)

Shay was tuff. He sort of reminded me of a character from the movies. Not those California beach movies, he wasn't the stereotypical no brained surfer. He was like the guy who everyone was afraid of but at the same time, everyone wanted to be like. It was weird Darry and Shay were supposed to be friend but there was this tension like they thought things out before they say it and they were stiff.

"I thought you were athletic?" Darry said as Shay lit up a cigarette.

Shay took a puff. He could hold the smoke in even when he talked. "I'm not anymore."

"Whoa! You have two of them!" I looked up from the table to see my friend Mark standing over us.

"There is only been one of us." Darry snapped.

Mark just rolled his eyes. He was smart enough not to push Darry. "Come on Pony, a couple of us are going to hang out at my place."

I looked over at Darry. He nodded his consent. "You better not get in any trouble ya' hear me?"

"Yeah." I responded taking off down the street with Mark. "So, who is all going over your house?"

Mark grinned. "No one." He opened up his jacket and reveled two water pistols and balloons. "I just needed something safe for drill sergeant to let you out."

I smiled, Mark was never shy of a good time and a good time it was until we threw a balloon at a security guard on accident. We were to busy laughing that we hadn't noticed he had seen us until he had us each by the collar and was dragging us in the back room. He called Darry of course Darry didn't take this as lightly as Mark's Mom did.

"Ponyboy, it's nearly thirty degrees out. What in blue hell would posses you to throw water balloons at people? You trying to get people sick? Get in the car." He hollered.

I stopped. "What's this?" I asked at the mustang in front of me.

Darry just waved his hand in front of my face. "I can't drive, so I had Shay drive me down here. Get in." He pushed me toward the car. I climbed in, the first thing Darry did was switch off the music and continue to tell me, I had no common sense, I wasn't thinking and when I got sick I wasn't staying home from school. It sort of went through my head. I had never been in a mustang before. I didn't even realize when we pulled into the garage until Darry started up again.

"You're butt is grounded here for the next two weeks!" He slammed the car door hard enough to make the keys raddled in the ignition.

"Hey, just because you're mad at the kid doesn't mean you can take it out on the car!" Shay shouted.

"No one talks to Darry like that." I murmured still in the back seat. I didn't want to get out of the car.

"I just did." Shay turned around and tapped my chin up. "He always like that with you?"

"Yeah"

"Don't worry. I'll find ways to sneak you out."

(Shay's P.O.V)

I walked over slowly toward the table. Darry had papers spread out everywhere. He wasn't looking to hot either, I wasn't sure if that was the stunt Pony pulled or if it was because of Soda's colorful cooking.

"So what do you think of them so far?" He asked.

"Cute kids. Soda seems very creative, hyper, Pony's a little shy. You came down kind of hard on him."

"He doesn't use his head. I don't get it. He gets straight A's in school but he can't think outside of school." Darry sighed with frustration.

"He seems to love you a lot though. First thing the kid asks is where you were this morning."

Darry shook his head. "He hasn't been out of my hair since this thing." He held up his bandaged hand. "The only reason he left today was because you were with me." He smirked. I'm going to give the kid a heart attack tomorrow when he wakes up and I'm not there."

I raised my eyebrows and gave him a questioning look.

"Work, I'm going to be roofing tomorrow. I hope you can entertain yourself."

I looked down at his hand. I was no doctor but he could hardly hold a pen in his hand. "Why?"

"Soda's job and your rent isn't exactly paying bills around here."

"I can give you more money. If you need it."

Darry glared at me. I felt like I was going to freeze and crack. "I don't need charity; I've worked hard for the past eight months to keep MY brothers and it's going to stay that."

I rolled my eyes. "Look at your fucking hand, you can hardly write, that poor kid worries about you all day. Why don't you spend some time with him instead of blowing him off every time he asks about it?"

Darry stood up. I was still an inch taller than he was and just as big but I even I felt slightly intimidated him. "Who the hell do you think you are? You don't know anything about Pony, Soda or me. I'd watch your step, because I'm about done with you "

He never finished, Pony started screaming and he shoved me out of his way taking off down the hall. Great, I was going to have to come up with one hell of an apology.


	4. Chapter 4

I rolled over groaning, trying to re think what had happened last night. Lets see, I thought to myself, party with Two-Bit at Buck's place with that god awful music. Soda left with Steve at eleven to go home. Two-Bit that little son of a bitch talked me into staying. I couldn't remember what had happened after that. I really hoped I didn't run into Pony or Darry. I pushed the covers back trying to shield the sun from my eyes. I walked out into the living room to find Pony starring at the TV.

"Aren't you supposed to be at school?" I asked. He had the TV up so loud. It wasn't exactly good for a hang over.

Ponyboy gave me a funny look. "It's Saturday, Why are you up so late?"

I smiled and rubbed his hair. "Where's your brother keeping the aspirin at?" I hated lying so I figured I'd just avoid the subject.

Pony got up and returned with a bottle of aspirin and a glass of water. "Are you hung over?"

I managed to swallow with out hacking my water back up. "That's my business little one, and if I am hung over I'm well over the age to be allowed. However you aren't."

"You sound like Darry." Pony stated pushing back his hair reveling his tired, blood shot eyes.

"Ponyboy, when's the last time you got sleep?" Pony had some crazy idea in his head, that he was the one who caused that accident with Darry's hand. Darry was up late with him after a nightmare. If Darry wouldn't have been tired, the whole thing wouldn't have happened. Darry doesn't know that. I'm not sure if Soda does. He gets up after Darry goes to bed and then watches TV or something.

"Kid, you know Darry would have a heart attack and die if he knew what you where doing."

"He already has chest pains." Pony said in a matter of fact way.

I shook my head. "You can't baby-sit your big brother."

"You know just as well as I do that he shouldn't be at work. That's why he is so pist off, his hand hurts him all the time and he can't take the pain killers because they put him to sleep."

I couldn't exactly say anything, he was right. Darry needed to be home. "There anything to do in this town? I hate television."

Pony just sort of shrugged. "Movies."

"What's playing? You guys are supposed to have a good independent theater." I began searching the newspaper for times.

"How do you hate TV but like the movies?" Pony was starting at me like I belonged in an asylum.

"Movies are a lot better, I love horror films. Television is just boring same plot line in every show."

"Here we go, Return of the Zombies. Showing at the Sinister Theater." I looked at Pony with a questioning glance. Then something caught my eye. It had high rating. "Does Darry let you watch high rated movies?"

"I've been to a few." Pony replied

"Hey, kiddo, you can open your eyes now." I shook Pony who had his eyes closed for the last twenty-five minutes but refused to leave. He was huddled into a ball in his seat. Pony slowly straightened himself up.

"I wasn't scared." He stammered.

I gave a laugh. "I thought you saw rated R movies."

"I have, I just never saw a horror film so gory before. I thought it would be like Dracula or something."

"It's all make believe Pone. Zombies and mummies can't get you."

"They have mummies in Egypt."

"Yes, well Egypt and Tulsa aren't exactly close."

I could tell he was just racking his brains about how they could swim over and eat him the next day or some crazy shit like that.

"You ready to leave now?"

"Yeah" He was trying his best to act tuff but it wasn't exactly his best performance.

"How come you spend more time with me and Soda than you do Darry?" Pony asked.

Oh, shit. "Darry's always at work." I answered.

We went to some hole in the wall diner for lunch. I wasn't sure how we ended up in the art museum. I glanced down at the clock and it was going on eight.

"Ponyboy it's almost eight kid, we got to go." I drove home fast. It wasn't a school night but we didn't leave Darry a note or anything I was expecting to be home right after the movie.

I walked in to face the wrath of the younger brother. "Darry, I'm sorry we got caught up at the art museum and I didn't realize what time it was."

"Next time leave a note." He snapped.

As if on cue, Pony screamed and rushed into the kitchen behind Soda.

"What the hell is the matter you, boy?" Darry was glaring at him.

Pony looked at me trying to catch his breath when Two-Bit walked in laughing with Steve right behind him. They slapped high fives.

"Jesus, kid you booked it straight toward your brothers." Steve smirked.

"Would anyone care to explain to me what happened?" Darry obviously agitated asked.

"They were in my closet, but I didn't know, they started growling and then the door opened. I thought there were zombies or something." Pony explained.

I laughed. "Pony, movies aren't real life, zombies don't exist. The only thing to be afraid of these goons ugly faces."

"That sounds like a good movie for Evie to cuddle up too. What's it called?"

"Return of the Zombies, it's playing at the Sinister." I mumbled and suddenly the room went quite. I could tell Two-Bit wanted to say something but he didn't have the guts to say it. Steve had a funny little smirk to him. Darry veins were about to protrude from his head.

"You took a little kid to the Sinister Theater." Darry roared.

"Yeah" I answered slowly.

"Are you stupid, do you know what kind of movies play there?" Darry didn't give me time to answer. "Skin flicks and anything way above the average rating. Why the heck would you take him there, he already has nightmares are you trying to make it worse."

"Pony, you told me you were allowed to see those kinds of movies."

"You took me to a few monster movies Darry."

Darry shook his head. "At the drive in and the Sinister is different Pony, Sinter, the name it doesn't give it away?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"Yeah, you don't know too much, do you? I keep both of these kids far away from that theater." Darry said.

"It won't happen again." I told him. I just retreated to my room.

I keep messing this up. I put my head in my hands. I found my journal and an old picture book. I rummaged through the photos in it. So much for starting over.

"Shay" Soda's voice was on the other side of the door. "You have a phone call."

Soda gave me a huge smile. I couldn't help smile back.

"Hello." I said into the phone.

"Hi, son, how is everything?" It was my Dad. I never talked to my parents while Darry and the boys were home.

"Pretty good." I answered uneasily.

"I have a job for you. Well an interview as a sports writer for the Tulsa Newspaper."

"Are you serious? How'd you manage that?" I knew I was drawing attention from the others.

"Just go to the head quarters down town and ask for Jack Smith, tell him who you are and he will know."

"Thanks."

I wasn't sure what you wear for a sports writer interview. I went through all my stuff. I didn't want to look like a businessman but I didn't want to look like a sloppy fan. There wasn't exactly a happy medium.

I couldn't sleep the rest of the night. My mind was thinking about today and tomorrow and the future. I found myself everyday wanting to tell Soda and Pony who I really was. I some how managed to fall for them. Darry just didn't budge. This just wasn't working. I swung my legs over the edge of bed and stood up. I found Pony and Darry asleep on the couch. I smiled, no wonder he hadn't had nightmares tonight.

I pulled a blanket up to the Darry's chin.

"Shit." I said out loud, Darry's hand was bleeding right through the bandages. I quickly grabbed a towel from the kitchen and slowly wrapped it around Darry's hand. He woke up with a loud intake of breath.

"What's going on?" He looked down at Ponyboy and stroked the top of his hair.

"You're hand Darry. It was bleeding. You need to get that checked out."

"It's fine." He mumbled.

"You're stubborn, you know that?"

"You really don't have room to talk."

I smiled. "Hey, I'm really sorry about earlier, if I would have known I wouldn't have taken him."

"It's common sense not to take a kid who has nightmares to a horror movie." Darry snapped. "You can consider this strike two, three strikes you're gone and not coming back."

"Strike two?" I bit down nervously on my nail.

"Getting drunk, I should have thrown you out then but you're of age."

"I didn't" I started

"Think I knew?" Darry shook his head at me. "I know everything that concerns these two kids, right now you're a threat. I'm not going to let your actions get in the way of keeping my brothers with me. Three strikes and your out of here; you don't get it, we have consequences but you wouldn't know anything about that. Now would you?"

"You said I don't know shit Darry, well let me tell you something. You don't know shit about me either." I spat.


	5. Chapter 5

"This is quite a record you have here." Jack ran his fingers through his lines of silver hair. "Do you have anything to say about for it?"

"People make mistakes sir, I made a couple but I learned from them, they won't be repeated. I suffered the well deserved consequences." I sensiarly said. I couldn't tell if he was going to give me the job or not. His voice was even, his face never changed and his body never moved.

Jack nodded. "You're writing style is phenomenal, I originally wanted someone with a little more experience but I think you will do. One moment while I get your things from my secretary."

Once the door was shut, I finally took a breath. I was holding it ever since he looked at my records. Those records had cost me jobs back in L.A.

Jack came back he sat down at his desk. "We have a small problem. My partner gave your job yesterday away as sports reporter."

"Just my luck." I rubbed my temples; this was just too easy I knew something had to go wrong.

"However I do have an available spot for the music sections, but it involves you going out of town and to late night press conferences. It's your if you want it."

I grinned. "Sir, that's a lot better than a sports writer."

Jack nodded. "You start Monday eight sharp." He stuck his hand out.

I shook his hand. "Thank you."

* * *

"What are you so happy about?" Darry asked.

I was washing dishes slightly humming. I grinned at him. "I got a job for a magazine, on music."

"I thought you were into sports." Darry said. He slowly undid the bandage on his hand.

"Yeah, I played because it's what my parents wanted. I mean I like sports but only for fun; competition just takes the fun away from them."

Darry starred at me. "That's the dumbest thing I ever heard of."

"Yeah, well I was more into music and art. My Dad never went for that. I don't know why." I explained. "I guess I'll be getting an apartment."

"We're going to have to tell them tonight. I can't have them read one of your articles with the name Sunshine Curtis attached to it." Darry sighed.


	6. Chapter 6

I sat there staring on at the clock trying to keep count in my head but some how the second count in my head and the count on the clock lost track every time. 45, 46, 47, mid night. Shit, off again. The front door swung open and four overly excited boys came piling through.

"Sit down!" Darry commanded standing up. "I need to talk to you all." He had hardly let them in inside before he barked out orders.

"Are you alright?" Pony asked.

"No, sit."

Pony's face blanched. He slowly sat down on the couch. I wanted to hit Darry right then and there.

"Two-Bit maybe we ought to leave." Steve tried.

"Sit!" Darry roared.

They took a seat on the couch. Soda rested himself on the armrest. "What's going on?" He asked.

"Guy's before Dad met Mom, he had a high school girlfriend; that he took too far one night. He had a kid with her. Now that son he had never came to live with us because the girl moved to California and remarried taking the boy with her. Soda you were just a baby and Pony you weren't even born yet. Dad named that kid Sunshine Shay Curtis and for some reason he came back. You're all looking at Dad's mistake." Darry said as he got up and went to his room.

I gritted my teeth. I knew I wasn't supposed to happen. It wasn't something you really enjoyed hearing. "I'm you're brother." Darry chose that moment to slam his bedroom door shut.

"Steve; we have that place, PARTY!" Two-Bit tagged on Steve's shirt and they both dashed out tripping over each other.

"Me being born is a good reason not to have pre marital sex." My attempts to lighten things up a bit failed. Even thou I meant what I said. Soda's face dropped. He ran back to Darry's room and began to bang on the door.

"You said we don't keep secrets from each other. Remember we made that promise the day I dropped out! What the fuck do you call this?" Soda shouted. I could hardly believe the anger coming out of the kid. It was like some one had taken over his body.

"Soda this is different, I'd watch that tone." Darry threatened.

"You should have told me!" Soda screamed.

"Honey, it's not that simple." Darry said.

I couldn't tell you what went on between those two after that because I a thin hand on the side of my face pulled me away from the arguing. I looked up to see Pony; if Soda had the smile; Pony had the eyes. He took of my Pepsi baseball hat that I always wore and studied me. I could tell how confused he was.

"You look like Dad." He broke the silence between us.

"I know that."

"Do you have any other family?" He asked

I nodded. "My step dad and Mom had a little girl she's 16."

"Did you know about our parents?" Soda asked from the hallway entrance he was standing there wiping his eyes on his arm. I gave a nod. "How come you didn't come sooner then?" He continued.

"I have a lot reasons, I needed to start over, and I needed to get to know you guys." I answered.

"What happens if you don't like us?" Pony asked.

"Kid, I already like you guys."

"Do people call you Shay or Sunshine?"

"Dad called me Sunny, my other family called me Shay."

"What do we call you?"

I grinned. "What ever you want."

"Sunny." They both said.

That's what the rest of my night was. Them hammering question after question. I didn't mind. What I did mind was the wedge that I managed to put between Darry and Soda. Soda refused to talk to Darry, which in return pissed Darry off to no end. Two weeks later, it was still going on.

"Sunny, can I borrow the mustang tonight?" Soda asked.

I raised my eyebrows. Darry nearly choked. They all knew that the car was my baby. "Where you going?"

"Drive in with Steve and our girls." He answered. The drive in was ten minutes away, that was hardly any driving and the car would be in station the rest of the night. I didn't see a problem with it.

"You guys did a good job on that oil change and starter strip I don't see why not." I tossed him the keys. "Sodapop, you be careful; any scratches or dents and you'll never see day light again."

"You didn't tell me you had a girl little buddy." Darry gave a slight smile.

"Why should I you don't tell me anything." Soda replied.

Darry slammed down his papers. "I've had about all I can take of this Sodapop Patrick! I'm about two seconds away from whooping you!"

Soda glared at Darry and with the most disrespectful tone one could even imagine he said. "You couldn't not with your hand."

I let out a low whistle. "Hell, you could give that kid a good beating with both your hand broken." I went outside to satisfy my nicotine craving.

"Hi Sunny!" Ponyboy sat beside me stealing on of my camel royals.

"Ponyboy, do you know anything about this girl of Soda's?" Darry slammed the screen door behind him.

Pony shook his head. "Sorry Darry."

"You guys are going to give me a heart attack." He rolled slammed the screen door back inside.

"What'd I do?" Pony asked out loud.

"He's just mad at something Soda said bud it's not your fault."

Pony shook his head. "If I said anything that upset him, I wouldn't be allowed out." He flicked his cigarette in the air and went inside.

I watched Pony's cigarette collide with the pavement. It's ashes sprawled out all over the pavement. There was a sudden blast of yelling but it was funny because Darry was just so loud and Pony's voice was no where close to matching his. I didn't want to go inside and get caught in the middle of it. My other family rarely yelled and fought. I mean we did but not like how Darry does. I guess anger ran in my Dad's side of the family and Darry and I were both cursed with it. I had gotten treatment for it by the time I was eighteen. Pony came barging through the door knocking straight into me. I think he meant to run somewhere but he didn't.

(Darry's Point of View.)

I felt my heart beating through my chest. All my stress of the past month just completely came out. I tried to calm my breathing but it wasn't working. I could hardly believe I screamed like that. Images of Soda running out that front door bawling because Pony and I always fought; my kid brother didn't even do nothing this time. I blew up. I figured he went to Mark's or Two-Bit's but I had no clue. I sucked in real deep trying to calm myself. I wanted to bang my head against the wall. I would have punched it but I really couldn't afford to damage my hand much more. I braced myself for a long night but was actually surprised to hear Pony pouring out his feelings to Sunny on the front porch. I didn't get, he had been there brother for two weeks and I had been their brother for a life time, heck, I was passed that I was their guardian. I felt horrible because everything he said to Sunny was about me; he worried about me, I yelled to much, I had to much stress and I was distant. I just sat on the couch until long after the voices stopped. Sunny came in carrying my baby brother.

"Here, I got him." I took him away from Sunny and tucked him into bed.

"Darry?" Sunny questioned.

Sunny couldn't take five minutes of silence. I pulled my newspaper down and starred at him.

"Did Dad have anger problems?" He asked bluntly.

"No, he never yelled or raised a hand."

"What about his family?"

"I wouldn't know; I don't know them and I don't care too."

He pushed back a stand of dark hair that fell in his face all the time. "I had problems."

"I don't doubt that."

"I meant with anger, Darry, I had to go to anger management to deal with them; no one on my mom's side of the family had them. It was Dad's that I got them from."

I glared at him. "How would you know? I haven't seen Dad in a long time and you sure as hell didn't know him." I snapped.

Sunny glared at me right back; not one stare of mine could ever intimate him. I could have given that stare to Dally and he would have backed off but not Sunny. "I know they run in Dad's side because you have them too."

I was about to get up and knocked his head off his shoulders but a scream came from down the hall and my energy went to there. I ran into Pony's room sliding to his bed. I shook him. He didn't wake up; he made a throw at me. His fist landed straight in my jaw. "Ponyboy, I need you to wake up." I said louder; I shook him harder. I repeated shaking him and telling him to wake up a couple more times, the shakes getting harder and it wasn't working.

(Sunny's POV)

Darry was going to shake the kid until his teeth came out. I grabbed a glass of water and threw it on Pony's face. Pony woke up immediately he lunged at Darry wrapping him self around Darry and crying into his neck like no other. I had stepped back into the door frame careful not to infringe on Darry's territory.

"Sunny." Pony called out.

"I'm right here bud." I reassured him.

He held his hand out to me. I stayed put for a second this wasn't my turf. I stepped with to far earlier; I didn't know if I should piss him off anymore than he should be. Darry waved me over. I sat down on the bed.

"It's over Pony." I said.

"Come on baby, calm down. You'll make yourself sick." Darry rocked him easily.

"Hey, Pony concentrates on my voice." I just slowly began to sing "Blue Moon" It coaxed his back to sleep.

"You have a good voice for a smoker." Darry said. "Thanks."

I nodded. He looked worse than Pony he was pail and sick looking. I jumped at the phone ringing I wasn't expecting it. "Stay with him. I'll take the call."

"Hello."

"I need to speak to a Sunshine Curtis?" A smug voice said.

"He's speaking."

"Sir; we need you to come down to the station; it's about your car."


	7. Chapter 7

I put my hands over my face and attempted to slide down the bench a little; I let out a groan. I didn't care about the Brumley's who were stoned next to me or the two socs across the room thought of me. The parents of the other two socs had picked them up. All I could think about was that curve, we would have had it if we would have made it but there had to be ice. I hit the guardrail; drag racing with Steve. The Brumley were involved, Sunny was going to pound me and then Darry was going to hang me.

Steve patted my arm. "Take it easy. It can't be that bad. He doesn't look like he's going to kill you." We hit on Steve's side; he was bleeding from the side of his head. My head was spinning.

I looked up and found Sunny in the hallway. He rushed to my side.

"Soda, you okay? What happened?" He asked he grabbed my arms and looked at them and then at my face.

"I'm fine." I mumbled.

The Sherriff came out. We were about an hour out from our house down at the Sherriff's station because we were racing on country roads. We went right about a hairpin bend and boom just like that there was the sheriff cars waiting for us.

"You're the own of the red mustang, DGD 90210, Sunshine Curtis?" He asked

Sunny nodded. The Sherriff let out a low whistle. "Which one's your's?" He asked. "Or did one of the punks steal your car.?"

"This one." Sunny jerked me up by my arm. The Sherriff glanced from me to Sunny. I guess Sunny's designer clothes, really didn't match up to my oil stained, ripped jeans and white t-shirt and red sweatshirt.

"I can take you to see your car. The road these kids race on is right in the station's back yard. They don't realize we can hear them a mile away." He snickered.

"I would like to see it if you don't mind sir." Sunny said even toned.

The Sherriff nodded and took us out to see the car. There were two other squad cars there with there lights flashing.

Sunny's face dropped. I thought his eyes were going to come stumbling out of his sockets. Then his eyebrows furred together. I didn't realize how hard I hit. My chest kind of hurt for the seat belt but other than that I was okay. Steve was a little busted up. The guardrail was destroyed; Sunny's backlight, front light and side of his car were smashed in. He flinched; boy was he ever pist.

"Sir, do you have a movies theater around here?" He asked

The Sherriff looked confused. "Twenty miles in the other direction."

Sunny raised his eyebrows. "I guess the girls are in the trunk."

I looked down at me feet with a loss of what to say. I wanted to cry or have a cigarette. Sunny had down two already. We walked back to the Sherriff's office.

"Well now, a hefty fine for drag racing, not to mention replacing the guard rail, disturbing the peace. As for your car that might actually be totaled the guy who we got to tow it can give an estimate. Not to mention that other boy's medical bills. There will be a court date in a few weeks to decide about his license now that guard rail it's not exactly a pretty thing but it's costly."

Sunny gave a nod. "Thank you Sherriff." A secretary looking official walked in and handed the Sherriff a piece of paper. I watched the Sheriffs eye's get big, he whistled again and handed the paper to Sunny.

"That's the estimate on your car, son."

Sunny's jaw clenched. "Thank you sir."

"Boy, the Sherriff was talking to me now. I hope you learned a lesson from all this. There are consequences to breaking the law. I could put you in jail." The Sherriff scolded.

"I know." I mumbled.

"All go get those tickets and you two may leave." The Sherriff stood up and Sunny followed for a split second the Sherriff looked scared of Sunny.

"Do you have a place we can go, where my brother can understand my consequences with out being embarrassed?" Sunny asked. I looked up; I had no clue what was going on. The Sherriff seemed to have the idea. He let out that irritating low whistle again. I was starting to really hate that sound.

"You can use my office. No one can see in." He pulled a shade down and left with the door shut.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know we'd wreck." I cried.

"Sorry? Sodapop you lied to me, you've given Darry hell for the past two weeks. It's icy outside, what were you thinking. You could have died! I don't care that you wrecked my car. I care about that fact that you wrecked it doing something stupid." I was somewhat surprised that Sunny didn't completely loose it. "Get over here."

I stood up and turned to walk toward him and I realized that he has slid his belt off and folded. "You're not going to"

"I am" He cut me off and grabbed me bending me over the chair. I didn't even have time to protest. I felt the leather hit against my jeans and sting. I tried to tell him to stop and yelled out objections but I didn't want to yell because I was afraid the socs would realize what was going on. Yet I could help but bawl my eyes out. I heard the door open, I hoped to god it was the sheriff and not anyone I knew watching me get licked like a little kid. I felt the belt two more times and then Sunny stood me up.

The Sherriff came around his desk. He looked at Sunny who was trying to put his belt back through the loops. I took a seat back in my chair. I wasn't able to stop crying.

"Well, I think the boy has learned a lesson. Boy's will be boys."

"Yes, they will." Sunny agreed.

"I can't take away the guard rail expenses or getting the license revoked but I'll let the fines go this time."

Sunny stuck his hand out. "Thank you Sherriff, but if you don't mind could I see the possibility of what we would be paying on paper."

The Sherriff wrote a number on the paper and gave it to Sunny. I couldn't see it. Sunny shoved the paper into his pocket put a hard hand on my back and guided me out to the car. We drove him in silence; Darry was waiting on the porch when we were pulled in he ran out to the truck.

"What's going on? You took my truck. Where's you car?"

"It's wrecked." Sunny answered. "I think we better go inside."

That when Darry noticed me crying. I hated being a bawl baby. Once I started, I couldn't stop. He pulled me into a tight hug. "You okay?"

I couldn't answer to save my life but I managed to nod.

"How'd you wreck?" Darry questioned.

"Racing; went over an ice patch while going down a bend. I hit the guard rail." Darry immediately released me from his comforting hug and grabbed me by my upper arm.

"What the hell were you thinking?"

I swallowed hard. "That isn't the last. We couldn't see past the curve it was too steep; on the other side was the Sherriff."

That's when Darry exploded. His face went red and his jaw clenched. "Sodapop Patrick Curtis. What the hell am I going to tell the state? They check up on this stuff. I thought you would remember that from the walking on your hand incident." He shook me a little. "Do you realize that our parents died in an accident, Soda there is ice all over the roads. I thought you had some common sense. You ought to too working at a gas station. I have the state breathing down my necks because of the events a couple of months ago and my hand but I don't know kiddo. This one might really put them over the edge! Go to your room!" He pushed me forward and I made the b line for my room.

Sunny's (POV)

Darry fell hard back on the couch. He has his face in his hands. "You're car? How bad is it?"

I handed him down the estimate. "It's an estimate and guard rail fines."

Darry looked at the number and balled the paper up in his fist. "Sunny, I'm sorry. He'll pay you back. I'm going to kill him." Darry growled.

"Go easy on him." I said.

"Do you realize; he just totaled your most prized possession?"

"I busted his ass for it."

"You what?"

"I don't hit them. Why the hell would you do that?"

"Because you punish the kid in front of the police they have the tendency to be a lot easier on them." I handed over the paper with Soda's fines on it. "You'd be paying this. It was either Soda's backside is sore for a couple of hours or you taking months to pay this off."

"Damn it." Darry cried. He hit the tabled in front of him. "You can't punish my brothers; it doesn't concern you!"

I looked at him and cocked an eyebrow. "MY brother wrecked MY car and lied to ME about what he was doing with it. I sort of don't see you in this picture at all."

"I have CUSTODY!" Darry screamed coming to his feet. "I've gone way beyond being a big brother. I'm the one went to when they woke up crying. I'm the one who bandages scrape; pays bills that don't stop coming in, and I'm the one who keeps the roof over their heads"

"Darry, stop yelling." I pleaded.

"It's my house Sunshine. I'll scream if I want to! You can't tell me what to do and you sure as hell can't control them. You haven't been here. I don't even know why you care. You haven't been here since you were a kid! They don't know who you are. You're a spoiled brat!"

"Yeah, and you are a stubborn jack ass. You're to hard headed to see how much you hurt them. You're to damn cold. That's the reason you so jealous."

"Think I'm jealous huh? You got a high ego Sunny. You have nothing for me to be jealous of. I'm not the one who turned his back on his family!" Darry was only a couple inches away from my face. I wanted to knock him flat on his ass.

"You don't know shit. I didn't turn my back. I would have been here sooner but I couldn't." I didn't want to say it. "The only thing that kept me from attempting to drive here was the fact that if I left the state my ass would be thrown in jail." I bit my lip the second I said it.

"GET OUT!" Darry pushed me back. "I'll send you money through the mail to you're work for the car. Don't come back."


	8. Chapter 8

I walked out of the house; literally walked. I had no car. I took the bus for probably the first time in my life down to work. We all had keys. I guess my office was going to have to use work for a bed until I would apartment hunt tomorrow. I ran my fingers through my hair trying to recapture what had just happened.

Pony's POV

I pushed my pancakes around my plate. The syrup was making them soggy. I thought of Sunny. Where was he? Was he going to come back? I had lost two friends, my parents and now a brother I hardly even knew. I felt bad for being sad about it but at the same time, I couldn't help it. I really liked Sunny; he looked at things differently. He sort of reminded me of Dally.

Darry placed a hand on top of my head that with drew me from my pancakes. I looked up into his eyes. It was funny his eyes weren't cold and hard, they were pain filled like his tears were frozen and couldn't escape.

"You going to eat those? Or play with them?" He asked gruffly.

I shrugged. I wasn't really in the mood to eat. Darry grabbed hold of my chin. He starred down at me.

"Ponyboy, you need to start sleeping. I'm serious now."

"Alright." I wanted to tell him the same thing. Darry looked like he had been put through a meat grinder and hit by a car but it had been a really ruff week. He works all day comes home tired to fight with Soda. It's weird because Soda never fights with anybody. I thought of all people he would never fight with Darry.

Speak of the devil. He messed my hair before stealing a pancake.

"Hey little buddy; there's some breakfast." Darry nodded toward Soda's normal seat with a plate of pancakes.

"I have a name that's not it." Soda replied.

Darry folded his hands. "Sodapop Patrick, what time will you be home tonight?"

"I don't know."

"Soda, please I really can't handle this today. Are you going out after work that's all I'm asking because I need one of us to make sure he goes to bed at nine and sleeps or if I need to recruit Two-Bit."

"I can put myself to bed!" I hated when Darry treated me like a baby.

"You haven't been doing a very good job of it now have you?" Darry yelled.

I sunk back in my chair. I hated this.

"You don't have to act juvenile Sodapop! I'm really sick of this attitude. I don't know where you got it but when I come home tonight. It better be gone. You can consider yourself grounded."

Soda sat straight up. He had this cocky manor and a weird grin. "Or what you going to kick me out too?"

Darry stood up and slammed his hand on the table. I couldn't believe he said that. "Two months Sodapop here and work. You're acting like a two year old and I'm about to treat you like one."

Soda got up out of his chair. "Whatever."

"Don't walk away from me, boy." Darry got up. I thought for sure he was going to kill Soda.

"I'll do what I want." Soda hollered.

"This is my house, and as long"

Darry stopped mid sentence, he grabbed his left arm and fell on the ground. He was trying to get something out but it wasn't working. I rushed over to him and lowed myself.

"Darry? What's wrong?"

Soda starred wide-eyed. He looked as scared as I felt. I got up and pushed passed him grabbing the phone and calling 911. I gave my address and name and it wasn't long before we heard the sirens. Soda ran out just to make sure they went to the right house.

I watched as Darry was loaded on to a stretcher and then to the ambulance. Something about a heart attack.

"Get in the car!" Soda screamed as we dodged for the truck. We followed the ambulance we weren't allowed to go with Darry. They shoved us both in a waiting room.

"Soda, what's wrong with him? Did he have a heart attack?" I asked

Soda shook his head. "I don't know Pony. Darry's tough he'll be alright." There was more uncertainty in his voice then he wanted me to hear.

We waited for an hour chain smoking. I wondered why everything in the hospital was always white. I think it was because no one ever thought of anything bad when they saw white. White was too pure of a color. Soda checked his watch and sighed. He had been pacing but would stop to check his watch.

"Come, on let's go find someone"

We looked up and down the halls for a doctor but had to settle with a gray haired nurse.

"Excuse me, but could you give me any information of Darry Curtis." He asked.

The nurse smiled. "Who are you dear?"

"His brothers."

"You're not eighteen. I'm afraid I can't give you anything on his situation. Why don't you go into the waiting room?" She hurried down the hall disappearing around the corner.

Steve and Two-Bit showed up but no one would talk to us. I think it was because we were greasers. Soda and I decided we would find Darry ourselves but let me tell you hospitals are bigger than you think. We were on the fifth floor trying to make it seen like we knew where we were going all while peering into people's rooms.

"Ponyboy, Sodapop?" The one voice could make this day worse.

We turned around and came face to face with the social worker the state sent to our house every month.

"Hi, Mrs. Jones." We echoed.

"What are you boys doing here? Shouldn't you be in school?" She asked look from Soda to me.

Soda eyed me. I wasn't sure if he was going to lie or not Darry always told us never lie to them because if they found out we'd be in big trouble.

"Well ma'am" I began.

"We are trying to find information on Darry." Soda said.

Mrs. Jones face elongated. "Darrel's in the hospital? For how long?"

"He fell at the house." I explained. "Just this morning, I'm sure he's okay."

"Boy's I want both of you to go back to the waiting room okay." Mrs. Jones smiled but the look on her face showed that she has a different idea.

We nodded and stepped on to the nearest elevator once inside.

"Soda what do we do? We know nothing on Darry"

"I don't know!" Soda exclaimed. He slipped an arm around my shoulders and pulled in a tight hug.

"Do you know Sunny's work number?" I asked.

Sunny's (POV)

I was in the middle of the meeting when one of the phone secretaries tapped me on my shoulder.

"You have a phone call. It's from a Ponyboy." She snickered a little at the name. "He say's its urgent."

I got excused myself from my meeting and ran to the phone.

"Ponyboy?"

"Sunny?" I hadn't heard his voice in a week. Shouldn't you be in school I wondered? Then realized it must be life or death matters if he was calling now.

"Buddy; what's going on? Are you okay?" I asked.

"I'm fine, It's Darry, something happened and he fell on the floor while hollering at Soda, this morning. They won't give any of us information and we ran into the social service woman and I think she's going to split us up or something. I don't know what's going on but we are at Sheppard Hospital can you come down here?" He begged.

"Buddy, I'll be there in five minutes go wait in a waiting room for me with your brother and the guys."

I hung up the phone. I left a note with the secretaries about where I was going and then it hit me I had no car. I lucked out because I found a cab that took me to the hospital. I walked in the doors and spotted Soda and Pony. They both got up and ran to me yapping about no one will help them they are too young.

I walked up to a service desk. "I need to speak to the Doctor who took care of Darrel Curtis."

The nurse gave me an incredulous look. "Who are you?"

"His older brother." I said.

She nodded. "They are going to have to wait in a waiting room."

"Go on boys. I'll be right back." I said.

"He asked not to send his little brothers in but said nothing of his older. Room 506" She smiled warmly.

I walked into the room. Darry was trying to tell someone woman not to take his brothers away.

"Ma'am, I'm Sunny Curtis, there older half brother. If you don't mind I need a minute alone with him."

"Of course, that will be good I need to get some things settled with the boys."

Darry looked horrible. He had breathing tubes up his nose. I think that's what did it.

"The boys called me." I told him. "What happened to you?"

Darry grinned. I wasn't sure if they drugged him up or not but it wasn't exactly a happy grin. It was like a wolf before it attacks. "I had a stress related heart attack." He gave a laugh. "Oh yeah I have some stomach ulcers and my hand is deeply infected. I can't work for a while. Some how the social services saw my brothers." He stopped there and looked at his sheets.

"Darry, you have two choices. Do you want to loose them? Or I can help you out? But either way there is no way I'd leave you right now."

Darry looked up from his sheets. I nearly passed out when I tears sliding down his face. "They are all I got left; Sunny please don't let them take those kids away from me."

I nodded and perched myself on the bed. "Why'd you come back?" He asked.

"Because, I came all the way out here to meet you guys. I wasn't going to just give up. For some weird reason I like you. I think you need me more than you'd like to admit."

"You're right I was jealous. I can't stand them needing anyone else but me. It's because they are all I got left." Darry gave a laugh. "Look what it did to me."

"You have nothing to be jealous off. Darry I could save those kids from a burning building but in the end, they'd come straight back to you. Nothing replaces you and they both made that very clear."

"You should have seen them after you left. Soda hates me. I nearly strangled him."

It was my turn to laugh. Then there was that awkward silence.

"You said if you would have left you would go to jail. Why?" Darry asked.

"I always felt that something was missing. I knew my step Dad loved me like a real son the feeling was mutual. I was a wreck; I felt like I could never compare to my sister. They always wanted me to be this star athlete. I wasn't that yeah I was good but I didn't like doing it but it made my parents happy so I did. I always wondered about Tulsa but if I ever brought it up all hell would break loose. So nothing, fills avoid like grass. I smoked it; grass isn't good with an anger management problem. One day my friends and I got stoned worse than before. I think the stuff might have been laced but I don't know. We get in a car to drive to a local dinner. The next thing this teenager pulls out in front of his we were in his blind spot. He starts hollering at us, I start screaming back and then begin pounding on him. The cops show up realize, we are stoned. Then I'm slapped with harassment charges and drugs. I had probation and anger management. I was eighteen then. About two weeks after that the two other guys in the car got stoned and then drag raced. It was raining hard out. The car slid over a bridge into a creek. They died on impact. I learned a lot. I've been clean ever since that day."

Darry nodded. "Dad would be real proud of you."

I smiled. "Thank you."

The social service woman came back.

"Mrs. Jones, I was wondering if the boys could go with Sunny their brother."

"I'm from L.A, half brother but still family. Actually, I'd be moving with them they wouldn't be leaving. I have a college degree, good paying job as a writer for a magazine. Don't let him fool you; I'd take care of him too."

Mrs. Jones bit her lip down. "State will have to do a couple check ups; but I don't see a problem with it especially since they won't be leaving Darry." She smiled. "We can discuss details tomorrow. She said to me."

I nodded. "Thank you." I called as she left. I turned back to Darry.

"Take our kid brothers home. Please put Ponyboy in bed real early and make sure he sleeps. Kid looks like I feel."

I cocked an eyebrow. "I think he could say the same."

"I don't want them here. Tell them I'm okay. I'm not going to let them see me like this." I wanted to tell Darry that it would be better if they saw him for them at least. I wasn't in the mood to fight with him and send his heart racing. I just nodded and went to go retrieve my brothers. There were in the waiting room smoking what looked to be a third pack.

"Are we being sent to a boy's home?" Pony asked.

"Worse." I replied.

Soda sunk in seat. "What's worse than a boy's home?"

"You're getting sent home with me." I grinned.


	9. Chapter 9

I grew accustomed to the distinguished smell of alcohol that was all over the hospital. I watched as a gorgeous nurse came giggling out of Darry's room. I walked in with my eyebrows raised. I guess Darry caught on because he raised his hand that looked like it was buried under mountain of wrappings.

"Wound care specialist." He replied with big grin.

"Well, she can put a band aid on me any time she wants." I grabbed my chair and put it next to his bed. Darry was still grinning from ear to ear.

"You're sick man." I told him.

Darry shook his head. "Jealous are we?"

"Very."

He laughed. "How'd the hearing go?"

"Soda didn't loose his license but if he gets in any more trouble he will. But he still hasn't left that house except to go to work."

Darry just nodded. "He shouldn't be allowed too. What about Pony."

"Nightmares; you know when he's screaming, it's not Daddy; it's Darry." I figured it out a couple of days ago. Soda worked until close and when I went in, he wasn't fully awake and thought I was Darry. "He's been screaming for you this whole time."

Darry put his head back. "Me?" There was a hint in his voice that he was shocked that Pony would be screaming for him but on some crazy level, he was honored.

"You know you don't look bad anymore. These kids are going crazy not seeing you."

"I'll be home in a couple of days. They can see me then." Darry was stuck on not letting Soda and Pony see him.

I nodded; I wasn't about to fight with him. "I'll see you later." My car was still in the shop I was driving that piece of shit of a pick up truck that I hated. I couldn't understand why Darry didn't want to trade it in. There was nothing surprising about the house that I went into. Pony was doing his homework and Soda was making dinner. Everything was quite; they both blamed themselves for Darry's condition, which caused them to be perfect children. I personally wasn't about to take this anymore.

"How was school Pony?" I asked

"Fine" He answered not bothering to look up from his homework.

"Sodapop; how about work?"

"Slow." He said. This is what I mean if I had asked Soda how was work a week ago, I would have received every detail now all I get it a one word answer.

I tried going back to writing my article for tomorrow but this freaky silence was distracting me. I threw down my pencil. "Sodapop, get in here!"

Soda appeared in the living room looking at me strangely. I pointed to the couch where Pony was doing his homework. "Sit down."

"Now, both of you listen to me. I see Darry everyday and he's okay; I don't know why he doesn't want you there but it has nothing to do with him thinking you caused him to have a heart attack. In fact he thinks both of you should go get your heads checked because you two didn't do anything wrong. So you guys can act normal this perfect kid crap is starting to scare me and frankly when Darry does come home it's going to make him worry."

They went back to normal after Pony had done his homework. I actually got my article done. I figured out that no matter how bright the sun is shinning it is a deceiving son of a bitch. I grabbed my leather pilot jacket; aviators, scarf and a fedora. What could I say the rat pack made some amazing music. I walked into the kitchen, was greeted by Soda, and Pony both being shutting up and staring at me.

"What?" I asked

Pony slid off his chair and took of running. I could hear him rummaging through things. I raised my eyebrow to Soda.

"We were just talking about how you reminded us of Dad. He used to wear the same hat and jacket in a lot pictures with him and Mom." Soda said.

Pony came back shoving a picture of Dad and Sarah in his hands. Sure enough, Dad was wearing the jacket and a hat. That's when the memories came back.

"_Hey," Dad ducked into my room. "I thought you were sleeping."_

_I shook my head. "Daddy, I'm six!" I pointed to the clock. I could see Sarah in a simple dress standing at the door watching us._

"_I guess you are now. Does this mean you're feeling better?" Dad asked._

_I took his fedora off his head. "Uh huh."_

"_Okay well if you don't tell Sarah or your Mama we'll go sneak some ice crème." He picked me up. "It might help you're throat. You got to sing with me." He began a chorus of blue moon._

_Then something switched over to a memory of the same night. My Mom was screaming at my Dad. I remembered getting sick, she was carrying me._

"_Damn it Darrel! He's five years old and you left him here to go to some banquet!"_

"_He's six today; I left for an hour and a half and he was in good care! Come on Betty! I hardly get to see him as is. Don't take him away like this!" Dad hollered._

"_Maybe if you were more responsible for your child!" Mom hollered._

"_Betty pleases. It's freezing out." Dad shrugged off his jacket and threw it over me. "You're killing me here." He kissed the top of my head. "Daddy loves you Sunny. Happy birthday."_

"You okay?" Pony asked tapping my arm slightly.

"Yeah, bud, fine."

The was last thing I remembered of my Dad. I couldn't get that memory out of me head. I went to visit Darry. He told me to go home and get sleep because I looked worse than he did. The boys weren't home when I got there. I started making dinner singing the words to Blue Moon.

"Sometimes; you're really tuff and hard sort of like Dallas. Other times you remind me of Dad." It was Pony. I nearly jumped out of my skin when he began talking. "No one sings anymore except Soda and the guys when they are drunk. After Mom and Dad died until you came no one sang; that had good voice."

"I'm not tuff or hard, Ponyboy." I answered.

"Nope; but that's what you want people to think you are. You're just strange." He said.

"Gee thanks." I said sarcastically.

"I didn't say it was bad. Are you going to leave?" He completely changed the subject.

"Nope." I replied putting a cigarette in my mouth.

"What happens when you get mad at me; or Soda wreck you're car again or Darry throws you out?"

"Darry can't throw me out. Soda wrecks my car again and I'll bust his ass and who said I was going to get mad at you."

"It's going to happen. People run when they get mad at someone. I ran when I got mad when Darry hit me. Soda ran he got mad at us fighting. Two-Bit's Dad ran when he got mad at her Mom; you're Mom ran that's why we never knew about you. What happens when you get sick of us or miss your other family?"

Wow, this was a lot to handle. I tried hard to breathe out. "I'm not going to lie; there probably will be times where I get mad at you, Soda and Darry maybe even all three of you at the same time. I'm not my Mom or Two-Bit's Dad thank god. You and Soda both came back. I've missed a lot with you guys. I don't know how to make up for it either. I'm not going to leave kid. I was attached to you and Soda the second I laid eyes on you guys. I'm trying to be a brother."

"What about when Darry get's better?" Pony was starring at his shoes.

"There's a chance I could go get an apartment. That's up to Darry. I know you lost a lot of people but Ponyboy, I promise you, and I won't walk out that front door forever."

Pony studied me for a second. Then lunged at me. He had his arms around my waste and was squeezing the air out of me. I was taken by surprise because this was the first time that I really got hugged by any of them. I mean that time at the hospital yeah but this was just a genuine hug. I wrapped my arms around him tightly.

"I'm sorry kiddo; I missed out on a lot."

Pony looked up at me. "It's okay, you're here now."


	10. Chapter 10

"Ready?" I asked; Darry looked up from his paperwork. He grinned a bit and gave a nod. We walked out to the car. I had gotten my car back earlier in the day.

"No work, no worrying, I guess Pony and I are going to have to keep our smoke confined in my room." I laughed pulling out of the hospital.

Darry rolled his eyes. "I'm going to be bored out of my mine."

I laughed. "I'm sure you can manage to keep busy for another week."

"My tendons in my hand; I'm going to have to find new jobs." He said.

I bit down on my lip. "I told you; we'll manage don't worry you're self into another heart attack. Pony and Soda are going to be bouncing off the walls when they see you."

"Doubt that." Darry turned to look out the window. His face drew tight. I guess that was his fear is that his brothers would stop loving him or forget about him.

"Maybe Pony can sleep now."

Darry grunted. "What is this crap?"

"I believe it's the Beatles." I replied.

"Are you trying to punish me?"

"You don't like the Beatles?"

"Are you kidding me? What kind of people would want to live in a yellow submarine much less sing about it?"

I sort of looked at him; I was astonished at the fact that someone could hate the Beatles.

"I guess it's not their better lyrics."

"They get on my nerves." He growled changing the station putting on Elvis.

"You ain't nothing but hound dog. Those aren't much better!"

"If you don't like Elvis you aren't my brother!"

"Two-Bit likes Elvis are you telling me he's you're brother?" I retorted.

"No! I'm saying you can't be in my family and not like Elvis?" He replied.

"I love the king! I saw him in concert four times."

"Thank God." Darry breathed in relief.

I laughed. "Now you have to admit that I'm related to you."

"The only person; I would have to admit that too is a blind person. You look exactly like Dad and me."

"Really because when I first came here you seemed to think different."

"I was mad; I was pissed off that you left. I guess I felt cheated; I didn't want Soda and Pony feeling like I did." He said staring at his shoes.

"I'm sorry about that. I was fucking stupid, and I regret it; the last thing I remember of my Dad is a fight he and my Mom had. He gave me this jacket. Now I understand why my Mom hates it so much." I gripped the steering wheel hard watching as my knuckles went white.

"You talk like a Sailor, Dad would have washed you're mouth out." Darry sounded disgusted. "I hope Pony and Soda don't pick up on that."

"I hope not either." I pulled into the driveway. "We're here."

Darry didn't even make to the porch steps. Pony must have spotted him outside the window. The kid jumped the entire porch steps and right on to Darry."

"Pony; he can't" Darry shoved his hand up to stop me. He dropped the baby of the family on the first step and scanned him up and down. Pony ran back inside and we heard him scream to Soda that Darry was back. Soda appeared in the hallway. He just looked at Darry.

"Hey; Pepsi Cola." He smiled.

It took no longer than a second for Soda to end up in Darry's arms.

"You don't look bad. I thought you would look like Mr. Earls after he had his heart attack." Soda said.

"I'm not going too look like some old man. I'm superman." Darry said collapsing back on the couch. I realized right there why he refused to let Pony and Soda see him while he was in the hospital.

"We made chocolate cake!" Pony said. "I'll go get you some." Pony brought him about half the damn cake. "Here, I hate hospital food."

Darry set his plate down on the coffee table. He pulled Soda under one arm and brought Pony to his knee resting his chin on top of the kid's head.

"So does this mean you guys missed me?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm sorry for acting like a brat." Soda said.

"It's alright little buddy."

Darry looked at directly at me. "How was living with Sunny? Should we keep him around guys? He listens to the Beatles."

"That's real funny, little brother." I dragged out the word little. "All you little shits are stuck with me rather you like it or not."

_Author's Note: I'm not sure if this is the end of it, or if I'm going to do a sequel but I think this is the end._


End file.
